File-box



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\ Nor 576,217. Patented Feb. 2, 1897.

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`AMERICS O. MILLS, JR., OF ROCHESTER, NIV YORK.

FILE-BOX'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 576,21*?, dated February 2, 1,897. Application filed March 18, 1896. Serial No. 583,752. (No model.)

of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in File-Boxes and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and tothe reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention has for its object to provide animproved bill or letterile boX that shall be simple and cheap in construction, easily operated, and will serve to hold bills, invoices, or letters in compact form, while they may be readily inspected or removed when desired; and it consists in a certain improved clamp particularly adapted for use in a file of this description, though capable of other uses, and also in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter fully described, and the novel features pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a file-box constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, avertical sectional View through the lower section of followerboard and its clamping device; Fig. 3, a horizontal sectional view taken just above the clamps; Fig. 4, a cross-sectional view showing the rear of one of the index-leaves or partitions; Fig. 5, a detail view of ears forholding the inde4 4 Similar reference-numerals indicate similar parts.

The nie-box or drawer to which my present improvements are applied consists of the usual front board l, the bottom board 2 connected thereto, and the side rods or strips 3 connected at one end to the front board extending horizontally parallel with the board 2, then bent down and secured to the latter by clip-plates 4, having eyes for theaccommodation of the inwardly-bent ends of the rods 3. The frontend of the rods 3 is secured by being passed through the small plates 3 and upset at the ends or otherwise, the plates themselves being secured, as shown.

The follower or compressor, supported and sliding upon the side rods 3, is composed, preferably, of two parts or boards 5 and 5X, the lower part 5 being supported upon and adapted to be locked to the side rods (by means farther on described) and the upper part 5X being connected to it by springs 6 6, each having one leg inserted in one of the boards, while a loop or staple 6X (fastened to one board) is passed through the coils of the springs to hold them in place.A By providing this spring connection between the two parts of the follower the upper part 5 may be tilted back, as in dotted lines, Fig. l, to permit an inspection of the ends of the documents in the file without loosening the follower from the side rods, and also to permit more ready access to the documents to remove them when the follower is moved back only a short distance. v V

Secured to the upper end of the section 5 of the follower is a plate 7, having the downwardly-extending portion'S at one end and a perforated ear 9 above it, and at the other side of the follower said plate is preferably broadened and provided with two ears lOl l0, through which extends one of the side rods 3, the other rod extending through the ear 9', as shown, said ears forming the supports for the follower.

Arranged between the ears l0 lOand engaging the follower-plate and the side rod 3 is a doubled leaf-spring ll, having the loop l2 beneath the side rod 3, preventing vertical movement, and the two upwardly-extending wings are adapted to be grasped and pressed toward each other by the operator to relieve the pressure on the rod and serving as ahandle to permit the follower to be moved back and forth.

One or both of the wings of the spring may be provided with the lugs or shoulders 13 to prevent downward movement of the spring, if desired.

It will be understood that the tension of the spring causes friction between it and the rods 3 sufficient to lock the follower to them and hold it firmly, while by grasping the wings and pressing them together the follower can be released and slid along the rods, when desired, releasing or clamping the papers between it and the front board l, as usual. By forming both the perforated ears integral with a single plate extending over the top of a section of the follower I materially cheapen the construction and simplify the parts, only two (the plate and spring) being required to constitute the clamping device; but it will be understood that it is not absolutely necessary to so make it, the clampingspring being capable of use in connection with other forms of support.

In devices of this description it is desirable to employ suitable partitions or index-sheets to separate the documents, and these I construct of. sheets 14 of cardboard, wood, or similar material, preferably stepped and lettered, as shown, and support them upon the side rods 3 by small sheet-metal clips 15, (one on each side of the partitions,) having the aperture for the said rods 3 land suitable lugs or teeth 16 and 17, the former adapted to be passed through or into the partition and turned down on the opposite side and the latter to fold over the edges, as shown particularly in Figs. 4 and 5.

This file-box as a whole is simple and cheap in construction and by employing a single spring, as shown, that serves both as a fastener and handle for moving the follower the operation of removing, inserting, or inspecting documents is facilitated.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a file, the combination with the side rods, of a follower movable on the rods, and the friction-spring arranged between one side of the follower and one of the rods, substantially as described.

2. In a file, the combination with the side rods, of a follower movable on the rods, and

the friction-spring'arranged between one side of said follower and one of the rods, having the grasping portions serving as a handle for the follower, substantially as described.

In a file, the combination with the side rods, of a follower movable on the rods, having the two perforated ears on one side through which one of the rods passes, the spring having the extended ends arranged between the lugs and engaging the rod and follower, substantially as described.

4. In a ile, the combination with the side rods, of a follower, the plate secured thereon having one perforated ear on one side and the two perforated ears on the other for the passage of the rods, and the spring arranged between the two ears and engaging the rod, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the rod, of aboard having the two perforated ears through which the rod passes, and the doubled spring having the grasping ends and arranged between the ears and engaging the board and rod to clalnp the former to the latter, substantially as described.

G. In a file-box, the combination with the rods, of the follower composed of the two sections, a spring connecting them, one section sliding on the rods, and a clamp for securing the follower to the rods, substantially as described.

AMERIcUs c. MILLS, JR. i

Vitnesses:

F. F. CHURCH, G. A. RODA. 

